Wonderland
by Twill
Summary: (Rated for later chapters) (AU) Three groups, seemingly with separate missions and goals become intertwined. Each find themselves walking a shared path that will set the course of history to follow... (yaoi, pairings inside)
1. Prologue: Beginnings

Well, it's happened again. I've diverged from the stories I have in progress to something entirely new. But this... This I have the entire plot figured out and written down (well some anyhow). I think you'll enjoy it, but I won't know unless you review to tell me *winks*  
  
Note: Because italics don't seem to work for me on ff.net, anything with a - before and after is like a flashback sort of thing.  
  
Eg.  
  
-"I am giving you a demo," she said grinning impishly.  
  
The reviewers were not amused.-  
  
~~~  
  
Prologue: Beginnings  
  
~~~  
  
~!~  
  
-The youth stifled the urge to scream, to whimper and beg. It would only cause more pain. He bit his lower lip, sliding limply down the wall until huddled in a tight albeit agonizing ball. If he could survive, make it to sunset, he would be free of this place forever. His father already thought him weak and worthless. It was only a matter of time before 'training' became fatal. There was no other choice, he needed to escape. Today would be the last time he had to crouch on the cold hard earth which bore stains of his blood. Tomorrow he would be free.-  
  
~!~  
  
A cloaked form dropped silently from the branches of a tall tree onto a path well traveled by those hoping to sell goods or make fortunes in the towns it connected; Harmenothep and Brushtown. Looking swiftly from side to side, making sure no one else was within sight; the form shook off the hood and breathed deeply. Shockingly white hair spilled free of confinement to just below shoulder length. It framed an equally pale face dominated by dark chocolate covered eyes. Taking less than a moment to recover, the youth, a boy, looked back over his shoulder at the woods he had just left. When all appeared quiet he began walking in a randomly picked direction down the path, staying directly in the middle.  
  
~!~  
  
-"Quickly find the boy! He can't have gotten far. Master Mur will be most unhappy if we cannot locate him soon. Hurry up!" The small boy shrank away from the loud voices that shouted and growled outside. It had been little over an hour since he'd slipped away from the practice grounds and hid in an old weapons storehouse. No one had bothered to search the grounds. Everyone thought he had headed straight into the wilderness.-  
  
~!~  
  
After fifteen minutes of walking he began to hear voices farther along the road, just beyond a bend. With a quick bowing motion he flipped the hood back into place. He stared at the ground so as to hide as much of his face in shadows as possible. He passed a jolly couple talking avidly about a laying hen that dangled between them in a crude wire cage. Apparently they expected a fine some for their animal in Brushtown. Once passed, the mysterious traveler did not remove his hood again. Instead he stopped and look between the path ahead of him, the forest on either side and at the sky.  
  
~!~  
  
-"There he is. Thought you could get away from us? Tut tut, foolish half-breed." The boy didn't bother to look behind him. He just continued running, squeezing through small places, hoping. Something sharp dug into his shoulder and held, jerking him back with force. He fell backwards with a yelp of both pain and surprise. "Nasty creature, you should know better by now."  
  
"Leave me alone! Please...please." He struggled against the clawed hand that had a firm grip, digging into his flesh. He could feel the slight trickle of blood that flowed freely down his back, mingling with sweat and grime.  
  
"But Master Mur said to bring you back, little vermin. We cannot disappoint the master." A feral grin slide across his captor's face as his companion laughed bitterly from just behind the boy. Thinking quickly, frantically, the small child tried to think of an escape. He fell limp. "That's better. You know you've lost don't you?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Pick him up and let's get back. There's warm maidenflesh waiting for us after we bring him in."-  
  
~!~  
  
He stood for a long time, looking up at the sky. Anyone watching might've thought he wanted to take off, to fly through the clouds with the birds and other winged creatures. Eventually, with a heavy hearted sigh, he slipped into the shaded woods, melting into the shadows. The path remained looking as though his footsteps had never touched it.  
  
~!~  
  
-"Ahh my son, young Ryou. What were you thinking? You did not honestly think you could get away." A tall, lean man lounged in a high back chair sipping a dark liquid from a stone goblet. He looked amused, eyes twinkling. The small boy, Ryou, sat unmoving at his feet a few paces away. He remained silent, eyes downcast. "I see you've learned your lesson."  
  
"No, sir."-  
  
~!~  
  
Flitting from tree to tree, Ryou constantly stopped to listen for unnatural noises, sounds that did not belong in the forest. Everything remained quietly melodious; birds chirped from treetops, small rodents chattered, larger predators occasionally made a noise of their own, either a screech or growl. Ryou paid them no attention. Only when he was satisfied that everything remained natural would he dart to the next tree and repeat the process. His heavy and tattered cloak chafed and itched but he would not remove it out in the open. It snapped each time he accelerated suddenly from a dead stop.  
  
~!~  
  
-"Catch him! Now!" Ryou tried to block out his father's voice and concentrate on the gruesome guards rushing toward him. He needed to get outside. Only then would he have a fighting chance. Shouldering one that was unarmed out of the way, he began to run towards the exit, bare feet slapping the smooth marble floor. A few, carrying spears, managed to scrape his exposed legs but could not stop him. They were poorly organized, too slow to block his escape. In a rush of air he made it out into the crisp night air.  
  
"Stop right there, wretch!" A misshapen sentry fumbled with a bow, struggling to sting an arrow. The boy hesitated only a moment before stretching out his arms, which were in actuality wings, and took off, pumping strongly. He arced sharply upward, narrowly being missed by a clumsily shot arrow. Other sentries, guards and fighters began to mass and hurl projectiles at the single form sweeping across the sky. But it was too late. With a large grin, Ryou sailed over the high stone walls and out over the thick forest that surrounded it. By the time his father's forces could organize themselves and send a party after him, he would be long gone. Freedom was finally his.-  
  
~!~  
  
A sharp sound, that of a twig snapping, caught Ryou's attention in the middle of traveling between trees. He froze and crouched low, tilting his head to listen better. For a moment there was nothing. Then he heard it: the shifting of feet and slight clink of armor as someone or something settled into a more comfortable position. His heart sank. They had finally found him, after nearly fifteen years of running.  
  
~!~  
  
-"Get away you foul demon!" He dodged a few apples as they were thrown by a large woman as she hurriedly backed away, leaving her bushel where she had dropped it in surprise. Ryou didn't move, he merely watched her scramble away, running as if her life depended on it. Once she was gone, he bent over and picked up an apple with his teeth. Its sweet tang was welcomed by his taste buds and stomach. He hadn't eaten in several days being more concerned with running as far from his father's manor as possible. He straightened, apple still clenched in his mouth, when he heard shouting coming from the direction the woman had run.  
  
She was coming back and had friends.  
  
With a strong flap, Ryou propelled himself into a tree thick with foliage. There he huddled as close to the trunk as he was able, peering down. A few minutes later several men, armed with pitchforks and swords came into view. They prowled around, looking for him.  
  
"He must've left Mika. Why don't you come home for a nice cup of tea and leave harvesting until tomorrow." They moved off. Ryou waited a solid ten minutes before dropping back down to the ground. There he sat and began to enjoy the meal left for him. He skillfully bit chunks of the fruit off of the core without holding the apple or letting it drop from his mouth. When he had finished, he spat it a few feet away and scooped up another one using his teeth.-  
  
~!~  
  
In a flurry of movement, Ryou threw himself at his pursuer, knocking the gremlin to the ground with ease. From there he pushed himself into the air, hovering and adjusting his position over the small creature. Not being terribly bright, it stood before reaching for a weapon. It was at this moment that two feet descended on either side of its head. With one swift jerking movement, its neck snapped with a muffled crack. The gremlin sank to the ground, dead. Ryou landed next to it, panting, hood thrown back. He looked paler than usual.  
  
"No luck at all." He turned, bowing his hood back on, and continued his journey deeper into the woods.  
  
~!~  
  
-Ryou mused as he stargazed. He thought of all the people he had encountered in his few months of running. They all despised him because he looked different. Because he had no arms, and instead a pair of brilliantly white wings, he was shunned. Because his skin was so pale he looked permanently frostbitten, like some locals in Ice Falls, people ran away screaming. No one cared if he wasn't a threat. He hated his father, the man responsible for the way he looked. He had managed to find an old cloak that someone had thrown away. After wrestling it on, he could venture into villages and cities to find food. He had to be careful. Spies lurked everywhere. He knew, however, that his father had stopped chasing him. He was weak and had little use. No one cared if he died or not. No one cared about Ryou.-  
  
~!~  
  
It had been over a decade since he had last been hunted by his father's minions. It was, he assumed, because of a dormant talent that had just come to the surface. Ryou was determined not to be captured and not to give anything to the man who cared nothing about him, just the power he possessed. Fluttering his wings rapidly beneath their cover, he rose into the air, making himself lighter as he gained altitude. Another thing that had popped out during his panic flight away from home; he could make himself and other objects lighter. Ryou skimmed above the ground, just below the treetops, towards a future he was unsure of. He only knew that if he was being hunted again, he had to keep moving.  
  
He was not a little frightened child anymore. He wasn't about to be found again so easily.  
  
~~~  
  
Well there you are. The start to something that slapped me in the face until I wrote it down. Kinda like Hearts Change. *shrugs* Let me know what you think. R&R! 


	2. Carnival

In record time, I've managed to get chapter one written. And chapter two is well under way. If my luck and inspiration hold, I just may be able to update regularly without having to make you readers wait for ages. I did mention yaoi parings in the summary (if the edit uploaded correctly), but I think I'll hold out on announcing them for a little bit. At least until I get everyone introduced, which will take only two more chapters or so ^-^ I also forgot to put a disclaimer in the prologue. Oh well.  
  
Disclaimer: I am not fortunate enough to be obscenely wealthy. Therefore I have no way to afford something as pricy as Yu-Gi-Oh! However, if I win the lottery several times over, things may change.  
  
Note: ~!~ means a change in either perspective (I focus in on one character explicitly) or a change in scene. I think it's fairly easy to tell, but if not just let me know.  
  
~~~  
  
---  
  
Carnival  
  
---  
  
~~~  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, please direct your attention to your left. The Mystifying Isis will now perform her dance 'Flight of the Nightingale'." A voice boomed, magically enhanced, over the chatter of the crowds. A hush began to gradually descend as the audience's attention shifted. Complete silence fell. The jingle of bells soon became audible as the dancer began her movements.  
  
"Hey, Bakura, you'd better get to work." The head of the announcer, a mage dressed in a royal blue tunic, poked its way between two long purple curtains that separated Bakura's compartment from the rest of the wagon. He had erected it to provide some privacy from the other performers.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, in a minute. The crowds can wait until I finish my breakfast." Bakura, a lean white-haired youth, threw the rinds of a few pieces of fruit he had already consumed at the intruder. They were easily dodged.  
  
"The crowds may wait, but Isis won't. She's expecting to see your head bobbing along amidst the others." The mage, with wild and spiky tri- colored hair of black, blonde and red, grinned. The head of their small band, Isis, was not one to keep waiting.  
  
"Get Malik to start the job then. I'm busy!"  
  
"You know Malik's in place for my magic act. And if not, he's probably sharpening his knives for his own performance. That leaves you, the only free person, to pace the crowds." He stepped in all the way. "Or you could sit here, eating, and face Isis' wrath later."  
  
"I thought you didn't approve of our extra performance, Yugi." Bakura scowled from the corner he was seated in. The mage smiled innocently.  
  
"I don't, but I'd rather gain a little illicit gold than have to worry about a friend. Even if it is you." Yugi ducked as a hard roll was thrown in the direction of his head.  
  
"Fine!" Bakura stood, dusted himself off, and stretched. He grabbed a shabby brown robe from a hook and pushed past Yugi. "Tell Isis I want a larger cut for having my meal interrupted!" His only response was a chuckle. Why they had to perform so early was beyond him. Stepping out of their living quarters, more commonly known as a supply wagon, Bakura threw his robe over his shoulders. He then began to weave through the seated and standing watchers, bumping into several along the way. The background jingle came to a halt just as he was starting down his third row.  
  
"Let's give a round of cheers for Isis! Eruptions of catcalls, whistles and shouting filled the air. Bakura rolled his eyes and stumbled to land clumsily atop a slim woman, sitting and enjoying the show. The announcing voice changed from that of Yugi to the soft tones of Isis.  
  
"We have a special treat for you. Mage Yugi will perform feats of sorcery that will leave you breathless in wonder. Please direct your attention to the center pavilion and keep noise to a minimum. Bakura paused to watch the magic user's entrance; it was a lot of colored smoke and flower petals all designed to distract those watching from the true place Yugi entered from. Bakura had checked the trap door personally the night before.  
  
"Hey, boy, get out of the way." A large calloused hand shoved him roughly forward, sending him sprawling onto yet another audience member. Muttering curt apologies, through clenched teeth, he stood and faced the man who had pushed him.  
  
"Take your seat before I have you removed from the square." The other man's face became tight with anger, all joviality gone.  
  
"Who do you think you are, talking to me like that? Do you know who I am?"  
  
"No and I don't really care. If I had to guess, I'd say some beggar from the streets taking advantage of a free show," Bakura sneered. He was not going to be pushed around after being forced out of breakfast. This guy had chosen the wrong youth to mess with.  
  
"I ought to teach you some manners whelp." His opponent rose and clenched his fists. The woman he was with, a wife or guest, tugged uselessly on his sleeve. Bakura smirked, dark eyes smoldering with anger. This was just the thing to vent his irritation on.  
  
"Why don't you give it a try?"  
  
The man swung a burley arm hoping to catch the brash boy off guard and send him into a daze. Bakura ducked. He tried aiming a direct punch to rattle the boy's teeth and send him sprawling. Bakura dodged. Finally, in mounting frustration, he simply charge and grabbed Bakura's collar. Struggling to get free, Bakura twisted and tugged but remained in the man's iron grasp.  
  
"Not so cocky now eh?"  
  
On the center pavilion, Yugi watched out of the corner of his eye. He lost concentration only once, causing Malik (who had been 'teleported' onstage through the trap door a few minutes earlier) to get a hotfoot. He watched as Bakura brought one knee up to wind his attacker. Dropping to the ground, the head of white hair disappeared momentarily before popping back up. Few were watching the show now.  
  
Bakura, who had crouched upon hitting the ground, drew a small dagger from a concealed sheath along his shin. He stood brandishing the weapon grinning widely and with an edge of insanity in his eyes. His foe suddenly didn't seem so sure of himself anymore. However, before the minute blade could be put to work, Bakura's entire line of sight changed. He wasn't staring at a bulky well-dressed man recovering his breath. Instead it was snowing fluffy white flakes as wind whistled through frozen evergreens. The arm clenching the dagger dropped and the weapon slid out of his fingers. Bakura stood completely still, hardly breathing. His eyes glazed over and stared off into the distance.  
  
Standing on the central platform, Yugi turned to watch completely. His spell fizzled, abandoned. Malik, running a nervous hand through his sun- bleached blond hair, stepped up beside him. They watched as Bakura stood motionless, seeing but not seeing. "Has this ever happened before?" Yugi didn't bother to look at the youth next to him. Malik nodded absently.  
  
"Once, but that was just after Isis and I found him. He hasn't ever said anything about...whatever is happening." The man, recovering from surprise, was preparing to throw another blow. "Bakura has never stopped in the middle of a fight unless made to."  
  
Yugi winced as Bakura was backhanded and stumbled a few paces before returning to his vacant stance. Their friend wasn't fighting back and was going to end up a lot worse if they didn't do something. "Get Isis and tell her we're stopping the show. I'll take care of Bakura." Malik nodded and hopped off the crude stage in search of his sister. Yugi raised his arms slightly, mouth set in a determined line. He summoned the words needed for the spell he intended to cast. Muttering under his breath, Yugi gestured in a sharp diagonal with his left hand and horizontally with his right. There was a bright flash of light that filled the entire square with white. As people shouted and clutched their eyes, Yugi brought both hands down, shouting one word.  
  
Bakura disappeared from where he was standing.  
  
The mage wobbled somewhat. He rested a hand on one of the props used in the performance. Spells that moved objects from place to place were more taxing than others; the bigger the item being moved, the harder the strain. Sending Bakura to his 'room' had been a considerable effort. Yugi was able to conceal his fatigue as Malik and Isis rushed up. The bright glare had subsided the moment Bakura was moved, so their eyes weren't harmed.  
  
"Malik told me what has happened. I'll make the announcement while Malik starts closing everything up. If you need to sit down..." She trailed off as Yugi shook his head. He and Malik began to pack up the props from Yugi's magic act into a nearby cart.  
  
The crowd was beginning to recover. Isis stepped forward and raised her hands for silence. Those who could see waited irritably. Those who still suffered from light blindness made small whimpers and moans. The man Bakura had been fighting fumed and stormed out of the square.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, I am sorry to announce that the rest of the show has been cancelled. Contributions to out entertainers would be most appreciated." She indicated a water pale. "We hope you enjoyed the show and will recommend us to your friends." Isis gave them a flourishing bow before turning to help the other two in packing up. Grumbles and soft complaints arose in the audience as the villagers began to leave. A few worked their way to the front to drop a few pieces of copper or silver into the bucket. Then they too departed.  
  
Malik glanced at the measly profit they had made. "I hope Bakura did his job before losing his mind. I don't really feel like eating cold rabbit scraps for lunch and stale bread for dinner." Isis swatted him half- heartedly as she helped Yugi lift a large spinning wheel into the back of the cart. Malik shrugged and started sweeping flower petals offstage.  
  
~!~  
  
Inside the large covered wagon that served as sleeping quarters to the band, Bakura shivered on his bed. He still stared blankly at the ceiling but trembled fiercely. In his mind he was covered with snow. His limbs had long since gone numb from the cutting chill but he continued to rub his hands together. He remained rooted to the spot he had managed to trudge to. The footprints he had left in the snow were nearly filled in leaving no impression that he had moved at all. Bakura sneezed suddenly, his breath forming a misty bubble in front of his eyes before being blown away in the wind.  
  
~!~  
  
Isis climbed in and made her way past the curtain barrier to check on Bakura. She found him shaking and rolling from side to side. His breathing was slightly uneven but didn't seem to be too abnormal. She felt his forehead for fever but found his skin was the temperature it should be. Isis checked discretely for any wounds or punctures that might suggest poison. Her search proved he was unharmed. Physically there seemed to be nothing wrong with Bakura aside from a few bruises caused by his reckless behavior.  
  
Malik entered carrying the small knife that Bakura had been wielding. He passed it over to his sister and looked down at his friend. "Yugi checked to see if it was enchanted but found nothing. Isis," he looked her in the eye, seeming younger than his years, "what's wrong with him?"  
  
"I don't know Malik. I don't know." They watched as Bakura shivered almost violently before falling still, his eyes closing. On an impulse Isis pulled Malik into an embrace. He returned it. "Do you remember, about ten years ago, when we first came across Bakura?" She felt him nod. "He used to have wild dreams, and often would walk in his sleep."  
  
"But those stopped after a few days. We, I, thought it was just because he was weak from traveling or sick."  
  
"I think that this is something related to those dreams. We'll have to ask him when he wakes, and if he chooses to talk then we shall know." She kissed Malik's cheek as he pulled away. "Where is Yugi?"  
  
Malik took a seat on a sagging pillow, closing his eyes. "He's finishing up with the props and then mentioned taking a nap." Isis nodded. She stepped back outside to the quiet, deserted town square. The magician was nowhere in sight.  
  
~!~  
  
Within his mind, Bakura was nearly up to his neck in cold, white snow. He could no longer move any part of his body aside from his eyes and mouth. It was difficult for him to make out anything beyond the falling puffs of frozen water that hurtled toward the ground by the dozen. He worked his jaw, trying to keep it from freezing shut. The snow continued to pile around him. In the distance, as snowflakes began to cling to his eyelashes making it harder to see, Bakura thought he could make out a silhouette. It looked almost like an angel.  
  
~!~  
  
With a jolt, Bakura sat upright rigidly. He was breathing heavily and staring with unfocused eyes. His skin tingled with remembered cold though he was actually feeling a bit warm. It was after dark, the night was sticky with humidity, not uncommon in the area they were staying at. Slightly disoriented, he fumbled through his deep pockets. Bakura pulled out three pouches of gold, a necklace, several rings and other items of value. Everything was still there. He relaxed and began to recall what had happened. He had been doing his job, bumping into the villagers watching the show, liberating them of their valuables, when a big brute had gotten on his nerves. They had started to fight, Bakura pulling out a weapon and then...  
  
He couldn't remember.  
  
Everything after he retrieved his knife dissolved into a fog. He lay on his cot, listening to his hammering heart begin to slow, and calmly tried to recall anything. Bakura was used to have jumps and gaps in his memory. He had been plagued by them when he was younger, living at home. Once he'd met Malik and Isis, however, they had slowly subsided and eventually stopped. They had told him he would bump into things during the night as a result of walking while asleep. Other times he would be eating a meal and then suddenly he was outside without any recollection of moving. Gradually images began to replay themselves. He carefully made sure he would remember them before rising and sneaking outside. Bakura stretched and sat on the pavilion where Yugi had stood to perform his magic. The air was still.  
  
"You're up late Bakura." The quiet voice of Yugi drifted across the silence. Bakura swiveled until he was facing the mage who was seated close to the prop cart. He didn't need to see clearly to know Yugi was smiling.  
  
"So are you."  
  
"I had a nap earlier, so I'm full of energy now." A small globe of light suddenly sprung up between the pair. Sure enough, Yugi was grinning faintly. Bakura snorted. "I hope you didn't wake Malik up when you came out here."  
  
"Malik doesn't sleep in the wagon unless it's freezing."  
  
"True, but he was worried about you. He was dozing on that squashed pillow you keep in that alcove of yours last I saw."  
  
Bakura shrugged and turned away. He was feeling edgy, like he should be doing something or going somewhere. This sort of feeling was also familiar. The last time he'd felt it was when he was seven. It had led him away from his village, and his jobs there. Bakura had followed it until underlings of his boss had been sent to bring him back. He had put up a good fight but was eventually overpowered and blacked out. He awoke to find himself lying on a pile of blankets in the same wagon he now slept in regularly, Isis carefully tending to his wounds. There was a lot about himself that Bakura didn't understand. He often wondered what his instincts meant and why only he seemed to feel like this. That night he wanted to know why, after nearly ten years of dormancy, these urges and vision gaps had suddenly sprung up again.  
  
Looking fixedly at the sliver of moon in the clear sky, Bakura vowed to find the answers to his questions.  
  
~~~  
  
I feel glad that it's posted. I'm hoping for a few more reviews than the one (thank you by the way) before I update again. Reviews are also good fuel to get me writing again ~_^ Review and tell me what you think! 


	3. For Hire

Okay, so this wasn't a regular interval-ed update but close enough. I don't have enough tine to say much else, other than enjoy and prepare for a little taste of yaoi.  
  
Disclaimer: I am not fortunate enough to be obscenely wealthy. Therefore I have no way to afford something as pricy as Yu-Gi-Oh! However, if I win the lottery several times over, things may change.  
  
Note: ~!~ means a change in either perspective (I focus in on one character explicitly) or a change in scene. I think it's fairly easy to tell, but if not just let me know.  
  
~~~  
  
---  
  
For Hire  
  
---  
  
~~~  
  
Autumn Forest was filled with eerie squeals. A hapless wanderer had chanced upon the nest of a Scywren- a demon of the air with a shriek capable of leaving men completely deaf. He had managed to pierce its throat with an arrow, rendering its voice useless, but still had to deal with other defenses. With a cocky grin, he sidestepped a swipe of razor sharp claws that could have taken his head cleanly off his body.  
  
"I don't see why demons are so feared." He ducked and jogged backwards just out of range. Pausing for a moment, he regarded the creature before him.  
  
Covered in dusky yellow and orange scales, the Scywren blended in neatly with the surrounding foliage of the forest. It had four arms, each with a flap of skin that would allow it to glide when airborne. On the ground, it used these flaps for balance while attacking with jagged talons, each claw the size of a man's forearm. Its head was long and sleek. If even the smallest portion of its scream was projected from the teeth-lined mouth, loss of hearing would occur. It was rumored that a Scywren, when screaming loud enough, could even cause death with its voice. For now, with an arrow through its throat, it was reduced to moans and gurgles- hardly deadly and only slightly distracting.  
  
He sighed, removing a slender longbow from its place on his back. He also drew a sleek black arrow from a quiver. The Scywren charged with a bellowing groan. Taking careful aim at where he thought the demon's heart lay the arrow was released. It sliced through the air with the smallest of whistles and penetrated. The fiend crumpled forward as the shaft passed cleanly through, ripping free on the other side. Thick gummy red blood oozed from the wound. The carcass landed with a resounding thump and lay motionless. The archer shook his head as he retrieved the arrow, wiping it clean on a bush and returning it to his quiver. "The fourth one today. What could be causing so much activity? The forest has never been this active." A rustling brought his attention from his thoughts to the present. He whirled to face whatever was approaching, arrow in hand instantly, bow ready.  
  
A small impish male forced his way through the brush. When his beady eyes caught sight of the weapon trained on his movements, he held up a hand. "Hold. I am a friend, a friend." The fellow tugged at his dark olive green cape that had gotten stuck in the bushes. The archer relaxed his stance but remained ready.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"I am Jihad, a merchant. I was passing through and got lost. I heard the commotion and came seeking help. Please, I don't know my way out of this strange forest." The impish creature fell to his knees.  
  
Scoffing the archer fixed his bow to his back and approached the Scywren. He used a small dagger to start hacking at one of the jagged claws, ignoring the blood that stained his fingers.  
  
"Sir, please, what is your name?"  
  
A grunt and then, "Yami." He continued hewing at the nail. After a few minutes of constant sawing and cutting, Yami pushed his weight onto it at an angle. It snapped off with a sickening crunch. He shifted the weight in his arms and began walking along a concealed footpath. Without a backward glance at his visitor Yami said, "If you require assistance in leaving the Autumn Forest, follow me."  
  
"Thank you, sir."  
  
Something about the elfin being's mannerisms bothered Yami. He wasn't human, that much he was certain of. The tiny eyes, small stature, it just didn't seem human. However Yami was bound by his Order to assist visitors to the forest in any way he could. But that didn't mean he had to be warm and friendly. They walked in silence for nearly an hour, pausing only when Jihad caught his clothing in branches or tripped over roots. Finally the woods thinned and four structures came into view. Built of wood from the trees of the Autumn Forest, the complex seemed to blend in with its surroundings. A red and golden yellow banner, the same colors as Yami's cloak and tunic, hung loosely over the entrance to the most prominent structure. Emblazoned in one corner, was an emblem representing fire.  
  
"Wait here." Yami left the small one at the edge of this clearing and headed toward the door with the banner above it. He knocked twice, waited, and then kicked the door twice more. It was opened a crack then fully as his identity was confirmed. The door shut behind him once he was inside. Yami dropped the Scywren claw on a small wooden table that sat in the center of the room. Several seated men, similarly dressed, made small noises of appreciation. Yami also removed a few scales, some hair and a quill that he had liberated from other demonic entities. These too joined the claw on the table.  
  
"Quite impressive Yami. Did you have much trouble getting these items?"  
  
Yami shook his head. "They found me more than I uncovered them. The forest is unusually full of life, or living dead. It worried me." One of the seated men nodded his head in sympathy. "I also bring a traveler who claims to be lost and requires assistance. However I-" Before he could finish his sentence, an alarm was raised outside. Panicked shouting soon followed. All present in the room quickly stood and raced outside. What they saw would remain in their minds for as long as they lived.  
  
The corpse of the impish man Yami had brought with him laid on the ground completely motionless. A jagged tear ran the length of his back. From this wound, thousands upon thousands of tiny black insects poured forth. They were swarming everywhere. The stench of rotten flesh hung about like a foul fog. Yami fought hard not to retch and instead swallowed thickly.  
  
"Yami, you fool, you brought a Carrion Host to our headquarters!" Yami was shoved roughly but paid it no attention. His heart sank as he realized the mistake he had made. Carrion Hosts were a semi-symbiotic organism conceived when a dead body is infested with parasites capable of restoring movement, speech, even some thoughts in the dead flesh. Some swarms even used living hosts- planting eggs and waiting for them to hatch. When the insects found a more suitable source of nourishment, they abandoned their host in a torrent of black death. Such a thing was happening before Yami's eyes this very moment.  
  
"Evacuate! Quickly, leave the area!" Shouts rained from every direction as the members of the Firechild Guild sought to preserve their Order. Men and women, overtaken by the waves of tiny bugs, rolled on the ground screaming in agony. Their screams just opened another passageway into their bodies.  
  
"Damn! Damn damn damn!" Yami cursed under his breath as he too fled the small community that had been his home for the past five years. There was a fwoosh and he turned back to see everything engulfed in flames. At least, he thought, the fire was a fitting way to destroy their command center. And maybe it would take out those detestable insects with it. Soon he was far from the site and catching his breath along with most of the others who had managed to flee. He sought out the man with the highest rank with the purpose of expressing his apologies. His words never left his mind.  
  
"So you're the one responsible for all of this. Yami, correct?" The archer nodded. "You made a stupid judgment error. So it is my duty to revoke your place in the Firechild Guild. You are no longer permitted to see the inner workings of this forest, or learn the ways of flame omens. As an act of gratitude toward your services in the past, you may retain your gear and any token you may have gathered from this place. You may also continue to use what you've learned, but are forbidden from teaching it to others." The man shook his head. "What a waste... but policy is policy." Yami was too stunned to move for a few minutes. He was banned? For one relatively small error? Turning his back on his former comrades Yami began to leave Autumn Forest. Times must be changing, he mused. Something was at work he didn't fully understand. First the increased appearance of demons, then a near undead attack, and now this.  
  
It took two days for Yami to exit his home of five years. He had made a brief stop at an outpost to collect some of his remaining gear. Along with the red and yellow tunic and cloak he wore, his black arrows, bow and quiver, he had taken some powders and items sacred to his Order. If he was permitted to practice the skills he had learned, he was certainly going to. He spared a quick passing gaze at a sign before choosing a direction and heading down that road. Yami decided he needed to find work. He had very little gold and would need more to support himself. The path he had chosen claimed to lead to the city of Harmenothep. It was said to be a bustling center of activity and seemed as good a place as any to search for purpose.  
  
~!~  
  
Near the back of the Shandolynn Tavern, a widely popular drinking establishment in the city of Harmenothep, sat a tall brunette. He was dressed in shades of black and grey, every fiber shouting of its expensive origins. In one hand rested a half full stone mug of flat ale. His eyes, a cool sapphire, swept over the other occupants of the pub. Everyone ignored him, knowing better than to strike up conversation or even to pay attention to his presence. Strange occurrences seemed to follow him wherever he went.  
  
"Oi! Blondie! Git out of the way!" There was a loud crash from the direction of the bar and then a round of laughter. The brunette turned to watch the spectacle. A blonde youth had run into a waitress knocking her and the empty glasses she had been carrying to the floor. The blonde was now apologizing and helping to pick up the pieces of glass. Once finished, he sheepishly wandered to where the brunette was seated and offered a cheesy grin. Blue met amber in a gaze that conveyed more than words could. The blonde proceeded to sit in the brunette's lap and sighed.  
  
"It's not my fault she was so clumsy... Or that you want me to appear human." He pouted. "Why can't I, for once, be the one accepting apologies instead of giving them Seto?"  
  
"Because, Jou, they'd try to take you away from me." Seto set his mug down on a small table and wrapped his arms around the form in his lap. Jounouchi, Jou for short, wasn't the clumsy human he pretended to be. He was, in fact, a sprite from the mountains in the South. Seto himself wasn't exactly ordinary. His role was that of a spirit cleric- one who could see into the all but invisible world of spirits and communicate with them. He also had a knack for finding undead and demons, so he had become a freelance hunter of non-human creatures. During a job in the southern peaks he had encountered the rambunctious Jounouchi and his life changed forever.  
  
"It wouldn't work. I'd kill them all before I let that happen. Or my bind to you would prevent it." Jounouchi, at the time, had been the problem Seto was sent to solve. In a twist of fate, Jou ended up saving the brunette's life and to return the favor, Seto hadn't killed him. Instead, he bound Jou to himself as a sort of servant. Their subsequent journeys and adventures had eventually led to a startling conclusion. They were in love.  
  
"Hmm." Seto rested his chin on Jou's shoulder and went over what he had been thinking of earlier again. A wealthy noble had recently requested Seto's particular services but with a new requirement. He wanted the demon Seto would be hunting to be brought to him alive, said it was a personal vendetta he wanted to carry out himself. The profile of the demon, a rogue with a human-like form and very pale skin, spoke of dangerous abilities but did not pinpoint them. It made the hunter uneasy not knowing fully what he would be tracking. So, as an extra precaution, Seto had tacked up signs in the city requesting someone with skills suitable for such a mission. Already he had met and rejected ten men and three women. None of them truly comprehended what it was like to hunt demons or any other unnatural creature of chaos.  
  
"You're thinking about our current assignment again aren't you?" Seto nodded slightly in response. "Quit it." Jou swiveled enough to place a chaste kiss on the taller youth's cheek. "It'll only make you grouchy."  
  
"I don't get grouchy," Seto growled.  
  
"Sure you don't." Jou grinned and then laughed. He swiped the half full mug and drained it of its contents in one gulp. "So, how much longer are you going to search for a suitable candidate?"  
  
"As long as it takes."  
  
"The guy who hired you won't like that if it takes too long."  
  
"He'll just have to deal with it if he wants me to go along with his scheme." Seto always made sure that his employers knew that they had to let him work on his own schedule instead of theirs. Things take time, and if they wanted it done right, they wouldn't set pesky things such as deadlines. Those could lead to complications.  
  
Jou nodded thoughtfully. A rather loud chorus of drunken laughter pierced through the normal atmospheric chatter and belching. Jou wrinkled his nose in disgust. He never understood why they came to this place when there were so many other more respectable establishments. The door to the Shandolynn Tavern opened and in spilled another wave of brutish men looking to get drunk. However, trailing behind this mob was a loner- someone with wildly spiky hair and wearing red and gold, uncommon colors in this area. He was clutching a sheet of parchment that seemed ready to fall apart. Instantly alert Jou nudged Seto from his thoughts and pointed, for he recognized the parchment to be one of their posters tacked up throughout the city. Seto took a moment to orient before nodding. Jou stood, stretched, and ambled toward this newcomer. He was met with an unfamiliar mixture of smells- flint, smoke and damp earth. After verifying that whoever he was, this youth was looking for them, Jou tapped him on the shoulder.  
  
"Follow me." He turned and weaved his way back to the corner table Seto was waiting at. "If you're looking for the infamous Spirit Cleric, you've found him." Jou made a flourishing gesture and then disappeared back into the growing crowd to let them talk business.  
  
"You must be Seto Kaiba then." Yami slid into the vacant seat across from Seto. He placed the advertisement on the tabletop and smoothed it out. Seto made no indication of having heard or even seeing his visitor. "This says you need a hired hand to help you hunt 'a denizen of the deepest black pit imaginable.' That's a bit much for description isn't it?"  
  
"When you've been doing what I have for most of your life, you can argue. Otherwise shut up about details and tell me what you want."  
  
Yami stifled the urge to smack Seto for his rudeness. It took a lot of will power not to get up and leave at that very moment. "I'm offering my services to your little pursuit." Seto raised an eyebrow in question.  
  
"Do you have any experience?"  
  
"Plenty." Yami removed a few tokens of evidence from a belt he wore around his waist. He noticed how odd it felt to be without his bow and quiver, which usually would bump his elbow when he made such a motion. But, attempting to be inconspicuous, Yami had left his main weapon in the small inn room he was currently renting. Seto studied the various things Yami had produced; claws, fur, bones and other such curios.  
  
"Do you know the dangers associated with hunting their kind?" Seto asked, already knowing the answer.  
  
Yami snorted with contempt. If he had managed to kill the owners to the proof Seto had just seen, how could he not know? Seto seemed satisfied and signaled curtly with his left hand. The blonde who had shown him to this nook reappeared from almost nowhere. Yami nodded a greeting which was returned.  
  
"This is Jounouchi, my companion."  
  
"Nice to see Seto has finally picked someone 'worthy' enough to do a little tracking."  
  
"I'm Yami." With introductions complete, Seto rose from his chair and began to walk toward the exit. The other two followed closely behind. One of the bar patrons, however, decided he didn't like Yami's fashion sense. So he picked up one of the many chairs and tossed it. It missed its target and instead struck Jou squarely between the shoulders causing him to fall to the floor with a yelp. This, in turn, made Seto stop and level an icy glare at the one who threw the offending object. Silence rapidly fell.  
  
"I suggest you apologize. Immediately."  
  
"Haw, yeah right. That little punk probably had it comin'." Seto's eyes narrowed. Jounouchi stood, still slightly stunned by the surprise, and hauled Yami a fair distance away.  
  
"Best we get out of the way."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"You'll soon see."  
  
By now a crude circle of other half drunk and tipsy men had formed around Seto and his opponent. There were a few hushed whispers but otherwise relative silence. It was the idiot who made the first move. Grabbing another stool, he hefted it across what little space lay between them. Seto knocked it away with one arm. He then stood stiffly, eyes glazing over. This didn't make any sense to the other man who stared stupidly. A chill blew through the room even though the door remained firmly shut.  
  
"What is he-"  
  
"Yami you're about to see a spirit cleric in action."  
  
Without any warning, the offending man flew backward through the air. He hit the wall hard and slid to the ground. He didn't get up. A few others witnessing this happening, friends of the brute, decided they didn't like the way Seto was treating their pal. Three fists aimed at the brunette flew through the air. Each of which was stopped short by some unseen force. Then, one by one, each of these men was flung haphazardly in a different direction. No one else moved. Seto calmly blinked and surveyed the damage. He then beckoned to Yami and Jou and calmly left the building with then in tow. The news of what had happened would spread fast.  
  
No one in Harmenothep would ever bother Seto, Jounouchi or Yami for a long time to come.  
  
~~~  
  
Yay, chapter two all done ^_^ I hope you enjoyed it. I'll get around to chapter three soon, I promise! Review and let me know what you think! Pairings completely revealed at the end of the next chapter! 


	4. Wayward

Aha! I've finally been inspired enough to finish this chapter. Sorry it took so long, but I have school and other fics to worry about. Excuses excuses, I know. I'll try to do better, but no promises. Anyway, I promised I'd tell you the pairings at the end of this chapter, and they are there. You'll just have to read to get down to them ^--^ Um, other than that I don't think I have much to say. Enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: I am not fortunate enough to be obscenely wealthy. Therefore I have no way to afford something as pricy as Yu-Gi-Oh! However, if I win the lottery several times over, things may change.  
  
Note: ~!~ means a change in either perspective (I focus in on one character explicitly) or a change in scene. I think it's fairly easy to tell, but if not just let me know.  
  
~~~  
  
---  
  
Wayward  
  
---  
  
~~~  
  
The sun was high. Market square in Brushtown was beginning to heat up as midday approached. Merchants began to prop up awnings and other covers to provide shade for their customers. They then rearranged or polished various trinkets and wares they hoped would make a profit. The few wandering browsers debated whether they wished to stay and bargain in the afternoon sun or retreat to their cooler homes. Many valued personal comfort over material gain, and the square became all but empty.  
  
In a shadowed corner, free of the glare of the sun, cool violet eyes regarded the activity around the various colorful booths. They belonged to an older teen with dark skin, spiky blonde hair and an attitude. He wore a bland tunic over standard light leather armor. Two hilts poked above his shoulder line from their sheathes strapped to his back. Overall, his appearance spoke of not wanting to be remembered. He would hardly stand out from any other member of a crowd, especially if wearing a hood or standing in the shadows. He strode out of the darkness and winced as his eyes adjusted to the harsh sunlight. At this time of day, merchants were most likely to lower their prices.  
  
"Come here, young master. I offer the finest silks in all the land. Perfect for surprising your lady love I assure you!"  
  
"Why settle for garments when you can adorn both yourself and any fancy you may have, with shining jewels and bands of gold straight from the mines of Karthac?" He paused and skimmed over the jewelry spread out on the table top. Nothing seemed as valuable as the seller obviously hoped it was. Shaking his head he continued down the row.  
  
"I sell talismans capable of improving your health, your looks, anything you may desire!"  
  
The youth, Marik, paused in front of the round little man who eagerly held up trinkets in the hope of a sale. They were minor charms, for charisma and stealth, hardly anything special in this day and age. And they were being sold at highly inflated prices to boot. Two hundred gold for light steps? Hilarious! But there was one item that appeared valuable to his questing eyes..... Marik put on his best affronted look and gazed down at the shop keeper. "Are you implying that my health and my features are less than adequate? That I am in need of something to enhance them?"  
  
The seller blanched and quickly tried to recover. "N-no! Of course not! I merely meant that you could enhance such..... such fine endowments to that of a higher being!"  
  
"So now you say I am lowly?"  
  
"No! No, young master, no. I-"  
  
"You seem to hope insulting your customers will result in profit. I may have to report such actions to the head of the city. I'm sure he would be able to impose some manners on you."  
  
"Please, no. He would shut me down and I have a family to support. Listen," the keeper's voice dropped to a low murmur, "why don't you pick out something you like? It's yours free of charge. And I'm sure we can forget this matter?"  
  
Marik smiled sweetly and snatched up a rather ordinary looking pin from the assorted pendants and curios on the stall top. "You are quite the salesman, my good fellow. I will recommend you to all of my friends and family." With a flourishing and over exaggerated bow, Marik stepped away from the annoying little man, hand clenched firmly around his prize. It was a smooth, graceful exit until he bumped into someone behind him.  
  
"I'm sorry. Forgive my clumsiness." Marik turned to the owner of such a soft and quiet voice. A small, hooded form was stooped on the ground attempting to pick up a few items that they had dropped with exaggerated, almost misleading gestures. Everything about them was covered, from the face down to just above the ankles. Marik had never seen anyone dressed so secretively before. 'And here I thought I was easy to forget.'  
  
"No trouble," Marik said as he walked past and out of the square. He had more ideal things to be worrying about than some strange shopper who couldn't watch where he was going. He opened his palm to marvel at his rare find, only to discover his hand empty. 'Now where did..... that little hooded cheek! He'll regret this.' Marik turned sharply on one heel and started marching back to where he'd run into the strange bargain hunter. The only time he could've lost his catch was when that little oaf had caused him to stumble. And as he rounded a corner, the bizarre spread out before him and it occurred to Marik that he couldn't see his target anymore. 'What terrific luck.'  
  
~!~  
  
Ryou sat back against the thick trunk of an oak tree with a satisfied sigh. He shirked off the hood of his cloak and shook out his white hair. The day had been good to him. He looked over the provisions he had successfully managed to either buy with what little money he had or snatch from unsuspecting passersby in the village. The inhabitants of Brushtown were always too trusting, even though swindling merchants harassed them daily. He wasn't complaining.  
  
A small, slightly dull sparkle caught his eye. Using a foot, Ryou pushed aside half a loaf of bread and a sack of fire-starter dust to uncover a surprise. A small unremarkable pin lay prone in the scrub before him. He wasn't certain what it was, or how he'd come to have it, but imagined it must have some important meaning. Free was free, right? He could always sell it later.  
  
"Hey there snow white," a low voice purred close to his left ear. Ryou started, and jerked reflexively to his feet, in the process throwing on his hood. He whirled to the side, glaring from beneath the hang now covering his face in shadow. "Ooh, a twitchy pretty boy. Mmm, I think I'll keep you, provided you twitch at least half as nice for me."  
  
From behind the tree Ryou had been propped against stepped a short boyish youth, with short pale green hair, cinnamon skin and an abnormally wide smile that seemed impossible for his otherwise, small, impish face. He crouched down and ran a hand through the meager merchandise strewn there. Ryou stiffened perceptibly, readying himself for a fight or flight situation. He was familiar with the cool hazel-eyed figure in front of him.  
  
"Aww, pretty birdie doesn't want to roost with me for awhile?" The figure tilted his head to one side almost sadly. "Then Espa has to clip birdie's shining wings." With unnatural speed, the dark skinned boy launched himself at Ryou. His hands were twisted into impossible claws that found their way to Ryou's legs as the smaller winged youth attempted to get away.  
  
Biting back mounting panic, Ryou lashed out with a powerful kick that managed to connect squarely with Espa's jaw. His attacker's head snapped to one side and seemed to stick there. In any normal circumstance, the recipient of such a blow would have been dead instantly, neck broken. Espa reached up calmly and twisted his head back to its proper orientation and wagged a finger.  
  
"Now, now, snowflake. You know how much that hurts. So don't do it again!" Espa, still with a firm hold on one leg, yanked downward hard while swiping upwards with his free hand. Four gashes appeared across Ryou's chest, causing him to gasp in sudden pain and flap uselessly again the hold. His attacker merely chuckled. "Daddy's mad at you. And when daddy's mad, Espa gets to play!"  
  
"I'm not going back," Ryou hissed. He twisted sharply to one side, hoping to shake the tight grip, but found that Espa anticipated this move and went with it. He even managed to use the momentum to push forward and send them both sprawling to the ground, Ryou pinned beneath the other.  
  
"When I'm done with you, pretty snow bird, you'll beg to go back," Espa purred into Ryou's ear in a silky voice. He pushed himself up and settled atop of his captive, legs effectively trapping legs, and hands pinning down feathery wings beneath the ratty cloak at the shoulder joints. An uncomfortable situation for Ryou. Espa then grinned, stretching out his mouth to an impossibly long, thin line. Then he leaned down, opening his mouth to reveal many sharp needle teeth, all in neat little rows. He paused momentarily, inches from Ryou's face, feeling the pants of hot breath coming from below. "Yum."  
  
Espa clamped down on Ryou's mouth, sending a small trail of blood trickling down his cheek. If he had been able to, Ryou would have screamed.  
  
~!~  
  
"Damn! Would you get it through your head that I already know that! I'm asking if you saw some kid, covered from head to toe, go by here today." Marik fought the urge to overturn the stall. Its keeper was being decidedly uncooperative and ignorant, which only made Marik's temper worse. He had spent the last hour searching for the thief which had taken his pin, getting nowhere fast. And now some puny little shrimp of a man, who thought he was so great, was trying to con him into buying something in exchange for information while quoting the same line over and over, which was-  
  
"I'm sorry, sir, but I am unable to offer any information at this moment. But if you'd like to buy something, I would be more than happy to help."  
  
"I give up! I quit! I hope you hang within the next week!" Marik spat, unfortunately missing the salesman. He stomped away from the main square and through various side streets until he arrived at a shady pub boasting the name Rusty Bucket.  
  
Once inside, he demanded an ale which he downed in moments after it was delivered, tossing a few coins on the counter. This was repeated twice more before Marik's blood began to cool and he could think a little more clearly. He couldn't be certain that the thief was still in Brushtown and not a good distance away on one of the many paths, but he couldn't rule it out either. "Damn that kid."  
  
"Something botherin' you hon?" Marik looked up into an almost blinding mass of kinky blonde hair (nearly hitting something else on his way up) that framed amethyst eyes. She had one hand on her hip while the other was pressed thoughtfully to one cheek. "Well?"  
  
Marik took in her outfit with a quick sweep of his gaze: tight off- white blouse, fitted skirt that was much too short and a halter top that pushed out other features way too far in a garish purple hue. He stifled a sneer. "Excuse me if I don't share my life's story with a complete stranger." 'Not to mention a floozy for sure.'  
  
Not catching the hint in his tone, she took a seat across from him and smiled, showing off perfectly white teeth. Marik almost lost his lunch right there. "I'm not askin' for that much, sugar." She held out a long fingered hand with trimmed long nails toward him. "The name's Mai." Her hand managed to grab hold of his and she shook it firmly. "There. Now we're not strangers anymore."  
  
"I am so thrilled."  
  
"That's no way to speak to a woman! I ought to slap you for such a comment, but I'm in a nice, helpful mood, and so I won't. Now what's eating away at you?" Mai leaned in intently as if hoping to suck it out of him just by being near.  
  
"You don't even know my name." Marik was strangely finding it hard not to open up to this woman. Something about her casual, offhand attitude seemed to lower his guard. He didn't like this one bit.  
  
"Oh, that's not important. I'm here to help you and that is." She dismissed the comment with a wave of her hand. Marik let it go because he found he couldn't make his mind keep hold of it. "Now tell me all your troubles."  
  
"I..... um..... okay." His anger gone like smoke in a spring breeze, Marik began to recount his morning 'adventure' ending with his frustration over losing track of the one who had taken what was his. Throughout the story, Mai had nodded her head or made understanding sounds in the back of her throat. By the time he had finished, she seemed very interested.  
  
"So that's the reason," she spoke quietly, more to herself than him. Marik wasn't entirely sure what she meant but assumed she was referring to why he had been in such a foul temper. In fact, he was wondering how he could've felt like that himself, considering he was feeling strangely calm and uncaring of the world around him.  
  
"Yeah," he offered lamely. This brought Mai's attention back to him. She frowned, which darkened her features and offset the image she had obviously tried so hard to create.  
  
"And that means you're useless." Marik was not quite sure what Mai meant when she said those few little words. But her feeling behind them soon became painfully clear. Pushing herself up with one hand, Mai flashed him a sickly sweet smile. "You may not have been what I was hoping for, hon, but I can't have you wanderin' around now either." Her mannerisms abruptly switched from demure to machine-like business. One hand knocked the small wooden table between them to the side while the other quested for, and found his neck. All feelings of detachment and calm began to drain from Marik as he fought against her iron grip.  
  
"What are you.....?" He couldn't finish the words flowing through his mind as his lungs began to burn for the oxygen being withheld. Mai took his half-finished question literally.  
  
"I suppose there's no harm in telling you, now that you're about to die." She sunk down and straddled his lap, facing backwards on the chair. Her second hand reached up to join the first. "I'm a messenger conjured up from the depths of Hell." Her eyes flashed dangerously, smoldering with a hidden intensity.  
  
Marik's mind raced fervently, trying to figure out the connection between himself and Mai. But first, he needed air. With all the strength he could summon, Marik drove his left elbow into the center of her chest as hard as he was able. Without missing a beat, be brought up his right hand and slammed the heel of it into the side of her face. The first blow succeeded in loosening her grip, while the second sent Mai sliding to the floor. Welcomed air filled his starving lungs and he coughed a few times to clear out the stale breath he'd been forced to hold.  
  
"Big mistake, sugar." Mai, in the time he'd spent trying to regain his composure, had gotten to her feet and now seemed to tower over him. Marik spared no time in staring and flung himself to one side, rolling with the momentum upon impact. He banged one shoulder sharply against a table leg and cursed under his breath. Mai made an inhuman sound of frustration.  
  
If no one had noticed Mai's attempt to kill Marik in his chair, they certainly became aware of her intentions as she began to plow after him, knocking everything out of her way. Bar patrons scattered, pouring out into far too bright sunlight and taking off down the streets. The bar tender ducked down behind his counter and disappeared.  
  
After tossing yet another small wooden table into the air and across the room, Mai found herself glaring down at her prey, who looked back at her with a mixture of contempt and bewilderment. She paused to smile once again, now looking less lovely and more hellish, before pouncing towards the lone human left inside.  
  
Or, she would have pounced if Marik hadn't acted first.  
  
Seizing the opportunity she presented when smiling, Marik had sprung to his feet in a low crouch and drawn each of his blades from their sheaths on his back. Each was slightly curved, and the manner in which he held them meant he would be able to defend himself from most angles of attack without having to move much. Mai pulled back, sizing him, and Marik did the same of her. She was all brute force, he concluded. That suited him just fine.  
  
In a sudden blur of movement, Marik launched himself forward, staying lightly on his toes and began to spin in a calculated manner, almost like a whirling dance. Each footfall lasted no longer than an instant before he spun off onto the next. He moved his hands very little, merely changing the angle of his blades every few steps. The effect was a cyclone of flashing steel which was fast approaching Mai.  
  
"What do you call that? Dance of the foolishly brave?" Mai hovered a few paced beyond the range of Marik's dervish. He made no response, so focused on his movement was his concentration. With an arrogant laugh, Mai launched forward with a great surge of power.  
  
Marik stepped widely at that moment, which brought his lithe body low and under the path of her attack. When she was sufficiently off balance, he struck. Each of his curved blades scored on various parts of her body, each hit at a different angle than the last. A good portion of her flesh and clothing was shredded in the process. Mai hit the floor with a wet thump. Completing the motion, Marik stood upright and sheathed his weapons. He was breathing harder than normal and a slight sheen of perspiration covered his brow, but otherwise he was unharmed. The only spot she'd managed to strike was his neck and a few bruises weren't going to be a problem.  
  
He turned to look over his handy work with grim satisfaction. Mai had obviously underestimated his capabilities. But why had she attacked him the first place? Unless he'd done something in the past to anger her, she'd had no reason! And their dialogue..... 'What the hell was that all about?'  
  
For a moment he allowed himself to get lost in thought about his strange- and completely maddening- day. But this was short lived as a tiny movement dragged him back to the present. Mai's body had just moved. It was subtle, a simple clenching of a hand, but it had definitely happened. She wasn't dead. And if she was still alive after what he'd hit her with, well, Marik didn't think he could kill her after all. Besides, what was it she'd said about being conjured from Hell?  
  
'Ah, damn!' Making sure everything on him was secure Marik sprinted over the debris from their scuffle and around any other tables that fell in his way. Once outside, he ran as fast as he could away from the Rusty Bucket. His mind was a buzz with possibilities. He retraced everything he'd said to Mai- and while doing so discovered he'd never intended to spill so much information- and tried to detect what had set her off. Then it hit him. The only thing that had set him apart this day, from any other wandering villager or traveling bargainer, was that pesky thief that had stolen his well won trophy! Growling softly to himself, Marik headed for the main gate. The runt had to still be in the area for someone like Mai to be snooping about. And if she'd thought he was in town, and was mistaken, that meant he couldn't be far.  
  
Or so Marik hoped.  
  
~!~  
  
Ryou tried desperately to shake Espa's grip but couldn't move much for fear of near blinding pain. Cool hazel eyes gazed condescendingly down at him from mere inches away. His attacker was securely attached over the area just surrounding his mouth and showed no signs of letting go soon. What was worse, Ryou could feel himself losing energy the longer Espa remained glued to him. Mind racing for any means of escape, Ryou settled for glaring with as much loathing as he possibly could up at the minion of his father. Espa looked amused.  
  
The sound of rapid footfalls sounded somewhere off to their left. A moment later a youth with wild spiky blonde hair charged into view and stopped. He seemed confused as to what Ryou and Espa were up to, but quickly pushed it aside in favor of anger.  
  
"Hey, you! I've got a bone to pick with you, kid. First you steal from me, then you nearly get me killed!"  
  
Ryou slide his eyes sluggishly away from this new arrival and back to the smug gaze of his assailant. Espa had lost some of his cocky attitude but still remained certain he couldn't lose. His grip on Ryou's wing joints, however, loosened. This was all the help Ryou needed. He bent his spine backward, arching up, while at the same time giving a mighty flap. This sudden movement caused Espa to start slipping backward. At this moment he could have bitten down harder, but the movement directly in his face caused by Ryou's cloak and wings caused him to open his mouth in surprise.  
  
"What the hell.....?" The intruder seemed shocked at how events were unfolding before his eyes.  
  
Ryou swiped at his face, ignoring the pain, and wiped away some of the streaming blood there. He was all set to take off and leave them both behind when a hand caught his ankle. Espa wasn't finished with him yet. Using Ryou to pull himself back into a stable position, Espa snarled in the interruptions direction. An insulted sound was the response, but Ryou couldn't be bothered to look at that moment. Instead he jerked his foot back and forth with the hopes of shaking off his foe. No such luck.  
  
"You will come back, snowflake," Espa purred as he dug horrendously sharp nails into the boney flesh at Ryou's ankle. His free hand twisted into a grotesque claw, preparing to ram itself into some other tender flashy part of the smaller youth's body. This was when Marik decided to introduce himself.  
  
He shouldered Espa off, causing a nasty gash to be torn from Ryou's leg. The other lost his calm composure and scrambled after him, briefly clawing his way forward on all fours. Marik pushed his thief to the side, knocking Ryou harshly into a tree and therefore dazing him, before sidestepping quickly to avoid the charge. One curved blade was instantly in his hand. Espa rounded, breathing hard, and regrouped for a second pass. There was a mad glint in his eyes that made Marik uneasy.  
  
"Run.....away....." Marik jerked his head sharply to the side for an instant, registered that the smaller youth had spoken, before focusing on his enemy again. Espa began to circle with a feral grin. "You can't win. He'll see you first." Marik was baffled as to what these words meant.  
  
'See me first? What kind of crazy talk is that?' But his unsettled feeling only grew as Espa began to close in. 'Okay..... let's pretend I wanted to run. How exactly would I do that? He's blocking the path and the wood's too thick!' Marik's eyes darted back and forth before settling on the scattered items on the ground between them. Some food items had been crushed; other trinkets were broken and now worthless. But one dull sparkle caught his eye. The pin! 'That just might work.'  
  
"Juicy little birdie has a playmate, and Espa wants to eat him all up." Espa flew forward; both hands twisted and ready to disembowel Marik. The target, however, had other plans. Marik tucked and rolled forward, snatching up his earlier prize. Then, spinning on one heel with the momentum of the roll, he stepped toward the disoriented thief.  
  
"Air Spine!" Marik dived and caught hold of one slender foot before plunging the pin into the ground. It expanded to three times its size and hummed faintly. With a flash of white and a gut wrenching sensation, the world surrounding the pair dissolved away. Espa's screams of rage faded into nothing. They both were safe, for the moment.  
  
~~~  
  
Yay, there we go! I had fun writing this chapter, as weird and kinda, uh, violent as it was. And as I promised, here are my planned pairings:  
  
Yami/Yugi  
  
Seto/Jou (you already knew that one ~)  
  
Malik/Marik  
  
Ryou/Bakura  
  
Yeah, your classic yami/hikari pairs with Seto and Jou thrown in too. But I like those, so nya *sticks out her tongue* Well, now that I've introduced them all, who would you like to see in chapter four? Yami, Seto and Jou; Yugi, Malik, Bakura and Isis; or Marik and Ryou? Send in your vote and I bet you'll see it up here next, when I get finished writing it. Oh, and can anyone guess who Ryou's attacker is? It's pretty obvious, to me at least, but I'd like to make sure everyone's on the same page. ^^ Review, review, review! 


	5. Caravan

Wow. I haven't updated this story in such a long time. Sorry! I kept looking at it and thinking 'this is such a cool storyline, I'll have to update it soon' but never writing anything. This chapter actually took a week to write, bit by bit. Kinda sad… Well, I'll try to do better! Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I am not fortunate enough to be obscenely wealthy. Therefore I have no way to afford something as pricy as Yu-Gi-Oh! However, if I win the lottery several times over, things may change.

ooo

Caravan

ooo

Flat farmland rolled past lazily on either side. A trick of perspective made it seem as if they weren't going anywhere when really they were making excellent time through this part of the province. Malik hardly had to bother guiding the horses pulling their caravan along the dusty road. He would just give a small flick of the reigns if any of the four decided that the crops waving in a gentle breeze looked too appetizing to pass by.

Their next destination had yet to be picked, and so far the missive for where to go was north. Bakura had been very adamant about that though he wasn't being clear on where or why. So their troupe had chosen a path headed in that direction and had started on their journey. It was that or lose their white haired companion, a decision none were willing to make.

Malik perked up as he spied a long line of travelers bearing produce to sell at market. This meant they were nearing a town where they could stop and refresh their stores, perhaps even spend the night. And it also meant they may be able to make a few quick silver pieces. He stopped the cart just behind a hill that would take them into the throng and hurriedly slipped into the back.

"Hey sis, there's a huge crowd up ahead."

Isis looked up from the small pile of costumes she was trying to mend and smiled. "They must be bored, wouldn't you think?" She tucked away the colorful garments and stood. "I'll change. You go tell Yugi and Bakura, okay?"

Malik grinned and slid past her. He opened the back door of their wagon and hopped neatly onto the back of one of the horses pulling the second piece of the caravan. With experienced ease, Malik maneuvered himself back until he was sitting next to a very amused Yugi.

"I never get tired of watching you do that. But why this time when we're stopped?" Yugi tethered his reigns and turned to regard the taller youth more comfortably.

The blonde smirked and shrugged. "More fun, I guess." He hopped to his feet and pointed at the hill just ahead. "There's a big group up over there. We're going to put a little show on for them as we pass through. Get your spells and tricks ready, mage." Malik clapped Yugi on the shoulder and hopped off onto the gritty path.

Bakura was sitting on the back end of Yugi's cart, feet trailing off the end. He was lost in thought when Malik rounded the corner happily. Nearly jumping out of his skin when a dagger embedded itself solidly into the wood next to his head, Bakura fought to keep his reaction from showing. He silently cursed the blonde as he chucked the blade back. "What?"

Malik caught his knife easily and shot Bakura a smug look. "Showtime," was his only reply.

ooo

"You'd better be ready." Bakura flicked the reigns sharply and started the horses moving. They pulled the lead cart, which pulled the next set of horses, which pulled that cart and so forth until the two were moving in a train.

On top of each stood the three performers. Isis was spinning and dancing gracefully, scarves flying around her and perfume wafting gently down, claiming one cart to herself. Malik was juggling his knives, occasionally flicking them toward Yugi who would deflect them back with magic, or make them disappear and reappear near Isis who would nimbly jump over them in her dance. When he wasn't doing this, Yugi was setting off sprays of color in the air or creating small images out of light - butterflies and fairies danced around him.

They crossed over the hill and descended into the throng of people on the other side. Where normally crowds would turn and enjoy such entertainment, perhaps throwing a few pieces of money or food into the convenient collection buckets strapped to the sides of the wagons, the people passing along on both sides barely moved aside to let the procession through.

Bakura watched as the travelers continued plodding ahead with their wares, oblivious to the spectacle passing through their midst. He pulled the horses to a halt and waited for his three companions to realize this fact themselves, if they already hadn't. Within minutes, Malik had vaulted over and landed next to Bakura from above.

"So what's up with this?" He reached over and plucked an apple from a bowl that a woman carried by. Bakura rolled his eyes and snatched it back, flicking it to land where it had come from. Malik stuck out his tongue.

"I know nothing more than you do. What's your sister say?"

Malik batted his eyes and drew himself into an impression of his sister. "We should go ahead to wherever these travelers are headed and see if there is an answer to our questions there."

From above a shoe fell and hit Malik squarely on the back of the head. He picked it up and threw it back, receiving no more than a pleasant 'thank you' from his sister who had thrown it. Bakura bit back the laugh threatening to escape him and instead smirked smugly.

Malik made a face, muttering, "I do so _love_ my family."

Bakura twitched the reigns sharply. They moved at a crawling pace through the slow tide of human bodies. Occasionally a strong smell of human or animal odor would drift over their party, an unfortunate result of being in such close quarters with so many peasants. A few gusts of wind would even bring the smell of sulphur and ash - smoke from cook fires, Malik wagered. It took nearly half a day to weave through the sea of human waves before even glimpsing a site of their destination. Then they understood the smell of smoke.

The city was burning.

ooo

Within the city walls and flickering flames, Rex kicked angrily at a smoldering home. It creaked loud and long and finally collapsed into the dust. Grinning despite his frustration, Rex continued to prowl through the conquered ruins, tail lashing behind him.

He was looking, as many were, for the escaped fledgling of Master Mur. However, instead of going to areas near the last sighting, Rex had been ordered out into the middle of nowhere. With others in Mur's service to boot! Snorting, Rex kicked at another building and watched part of a wall cave inward.

"Why would he send me here!"

A voice, high and wheezing, chuckled behind. "Because lizard brain, Mur knows you would let the kid slip through your fingers, just as you did the night he escaped." Stepping from the wildly flickering shadows, the visitor smirked at his companion.

Rex was as stupid as he looked. From broad, stocky legs, thrashing tail, and thick muscle, to crooked grin and tufts of wiry brown hair sticking awkwardly from his skull, Rex screamed brawn, and not brains. That was where Weevil came in.

"You were there too, bug breath," Rex retorted, implying that Weevil's station was also a punishment.

Weevil laughed again, louder and with a more abrasive sound, like crickets and sandpaper. He appeared human, though with pale skin and a clammy complexion. The duo was often together – Weevil's brains complimenting Rex's brawn and their respective appearances being used to trick helpless victims.

They had been stationed in the city for a week. On the very first day, Rex had sent town square up in flames. Each day after that, a new section of the city had erupted with colorful oranges and reds, billowing smoke to the heavens. Weevil had explained to the citizens that if they wished to live, they would have to offer up something – food, valuables, women, children – in exchange for their lives.

So far only vegetables and the occasional trinket had been presented. But Weevil knew they would be running out soon. The fields and neighboring villages would only provide offerings for so long.

"They'll be here soon. We should head over to the entrance."

Rex's frown turned into a hopeful grin, making him look almost like an oversized children's toy. "Hey, maybe they'll finally give us some women!"

ooo

"Are we seriously going to the burning city?" Malik looked back and forth between the faces of his sister and his best friend. Bakura had stated that they needed to continue forward and find out what was going on. Isis was against the idea saying that something didn't feel right. Yugi didn't seem to mind either way, and Malik was confused.

"Not until Bakura can give me more of a reason." Isis gazed intently at her white-haired friend who refused to meet the eyes of anyone since the argument had started.

"We just have to go, okay?" Shifting uneasily against one of the wagons, Bakura crossed his arms and stared resolutely at the far-off plume of smoke and ash. His sense of needing to be somewhere or be doing something had gotten stronger the moment he had seen the fire. His fingers tingled faintly.

Around them, the long train of people continued shuffling mindlessly forward. Hardly anyone spared a glance in the direction of the brightly colored caravan and its denizens. That was, until a woman carrying a large basket of potatoes overheard the topic of discussion.

Looking carefully around her, as if suspecting someone to jump out and report her, the woman approached the nearest individual – a youth with wild, spiky hair. "Excuse me," she murmured.

Yugi turned at the sound of a woman's voice. He smiled kindly at her and asked her business. What he discovered caused his smile to drop. "Uh, guys," he waved a hand in between the small huddle deep in conversation. "I think you want to hear this."

Malik spun around on one foot, still unclear on whether or not they were going in or skirting the perimeter. He looked curiously at the woman who seemed to cower when attention fell on her. "Go ahead."

"Well," she began, nervously, "our village was recently attacked by two men, a man and a beast. They appeared in a torrent of buzzing insects, which began to attack our farms, homes and even the citizens. The beastly one broke through our gate and started belching fire.

"The men tried to stop them in any way they could. Most were killed for their efforts, the rest wounded or fled. The man accompanying the monster told us that they were looking for something and until they found it, our village would provide them with everything. If we refused, he said, then there would be no reason for any of us to live."

Bakura, after hearing the story, was even more certain of his feeling. If those two fiends were looking for something, perhaps that was what he was searching for. He started for the lead carriage.

The other three comforted the woman and gave her a few pieces of silver for her troubles. Yugi was certain that it would end up in the hands of the usurpers, but she seemed to appreciate the gesture. As Bakura left, he finally voiced his opinion.

"I think we should go." Isis, slightly pale, and Malik, grim, looked at him. "Bakura had a feeling that led us here only to find this… this massacre of spirit. Even if we can't do anything for these people, I think we should try."

"Alright, Yugi. We'll go," Isis said softly. She hugged her brother briefly and retreated to the costume wagon. The pair remaining too returned to the line.

Bakura, flicking the reigns of the lead horse as soon as his friends were on board, set his sights on the smoky horizon. He was certain something would be waiting for him.

ooo

The Burning City was quiet aside from the sounds of popping coals and shuffling feet. The caravan's bright colors seemed harsh in the haze that floated between houses. Four sets of eyes gazed at the ruin in silence.

_I wonder where the two tormentors are, the man and the beast_, thought Bakura as he pulled the horses to a stop. On their way in they had only seen peasants milling about, empty handed. _Where did all their goods go?_

Sliding from the front seat, he went to join the others. They were all subdued by the desolate setting, even Malik – normally so vibrant – seemed smaller than usual. Bakura's fingers twitched unconsciously.

"So where do you think they are?" Malik asked, gazing at a crowd of silent bodies.

Shrugging, Bakura started deeper into the Burning City on foot. He was intent on exploring and finding out just that. Behind him he could hear the footsteps of the other three.

Isis, trailing in the middle just ahead of Malik, was shaking her head, appalled by the sorrow she was seeing. "We must make sure to stay together."

"As if that's going to help you," called a smug voice. Stepping around a corner, smirking widely, was a man with short green hair and thick glasses. His voice was high and contained a slightly whine to it. He was dressed simply, light green linen tunic and pants, with a white overcoat.

"That must be one of them." Yugi didn't find him very threatening. He looked more like a merchant than any murderous villain.

"So you've heard of me, hm? Someone talked, I see. How unfortunate for them," he chuckled dryly, "unless she had already confessed her crime." He pulled the woman who had spoken to them earlier out from behind the building.

"Leave her alone!"

"Oh I don't think so. I haven't eaten a woman in such a long time." Without taking his eyes off the four, he calmly ripped out her throat and licked his fingers, letting her body slip to the ground. "My friend hasn't eaten one in a long time, either."

There was a loud thump behind Bakura.

"Isis!" It was Malik's voice.

Bakura turned around and found a hulking _thing_ with its hands around her neck, squeezing. Yugi was holding Malik back as Isis slowly began to turn blue.

"Look, Weevil," the thing growled happily. "They brought me a present."

ooo

If you haven't guessed already, most of the often-seen characters will be making appearances, one way or another. I can guarantee that they will not all be evil minions/creatures/things. And if you have a particular urge to see one, like Pegasus, as something specific, such as a tavern wench who comes on to Seto, then by all means review and tell me!


	6. Picnic

Twill: Howdy! The writing bug has struck again and this was the lucky story to be updated. I'm having loads of fun with this story and the original content it has. I hope you readers are, too -grins-

Disclaimer: I'm not fortunate enough to be onscenely wealthy. Therefore, I can't afford something as pricey as Yu-Gi-Oh!

ooo

**Picnic**

ooo

Yami held ack his tongue until they had reached his room at a local inn. As he gathered his equipment, carefully storing everything he'd need in pouches or pockets sewn onto his quiver of arrows, he finally broke the question.

"What exactly did you do back there?"

Seto regarded him with cool eyes as Jou grinned at Yami over his shoulder. "You've got to be kidding me."

With a hearty chuckle, Jou waltzed over to the confused archer, slinging a tan arm around his shoulders. "Oh come on, Seto. Loads of people have heard of you, but they don't know precisely what you do." He grinned mischievously. "Like me. If I had know what you could do, I would've hid in my tree the entire time."

Seto rolled his eyes humorlessly. "I would've thought you happy with how things turned out, Jou."

Yami glanced between the two, certainly not understanding their banter. Jou picked up on this immediately and smiled wickedly. "I suppose, since you're going to be working with us, you ought to know a few things."

"Jou..." Seto's voice was weary. He knew where the energetic blonde was headed, and wasn't so sure he wanted to follow along.

Sashaying over to the tall brunette, Jou proceeded to explain. "Seto here is quite amazing. You see, he's a Spirit Cleric." Catching Yami about to sigh in exasperation, Jou brought up a hand. "Oh, I know you know that already. I'm getting to the good stuff.

"A Spirit Cleric is someone with one foot in this world, and one in the land of the dead. They can see dead souls, converse with them, and summon ethereal beings to do his bidding. A particularly powerful one can even cross souls over to revive the dead or enchant corpses to make handy puppets." Yami's eyes went wide. "What you saw back at the bar was Seto summoning a spirit to teach those guys a lesson for touching little ol' me."

Seto averted his eyes, now certain of what was to come next. Yami, true to the story Jou had told, opened his mouth to make a comment. "That seems a bit much just for a thrown bar stool."

Smirking, Jou reached over to turn Seto's face. "Well, not when you're in love." He leaned up and kissed the brunette firmly.

For a moment, Seto didn't seem to know where he was. One arm snaked up to grab Jou's waist to hold him there. Then his mind kicked in and he turn abruptly. "Alright, we're going now," he said gruffly, stomping from the small room.

Recovering from the surprise, it was Yami's turn to grin. "Kind of shy for such a stern guy, isn't he?"

Jou laughed. "You said it."

--

Outside the inn, Seto stood ready with two horses. Yami and Jou followed in good humor, chuckling with each other, as the cleric stiffly started toward the outskirts of town. Idly, Yami wondered how the horse arrangements were going to work with three people and two steeds. He supposed that Jou would ride with Seto.

"Here." A set of reigns was tossed toward him, the brown mare turning her head toward Yami. Seto mounted his own horse, a beige stallion, and waited. Jou stood waiting.

Yami mounted, watching the pair. Their relationship was beginning to annoy him with how much he didn't know. Seto urged his horse into a trot and Yami struggled to turn his mare in the right direction.

Beside him, and still on the ground, Jou winked. "I'll see you two when we stop to eat." He disappeared into the bushes along side the rode and Yami hurried to catch up to Seto.

"It would be helpful if I knew more about the situation." _And you two_, Yami added silently to himself.

As if hearing the unasked question instead of the one actually posed, Seto slowed his horse until he was even with Yami. He pointed up into the trees on either side of them. "Jou's traveling less conventionally, scouting ahead and keeping an eye on us. He'll double back if you get into trouble."

"Me? What about you?"

"I don't get into trouble." Yami scoffed, thinking of what had happened at the bar. "And since you're wondering, Jou's not human. He's a sprite." Seto kept his eyes on the road, obviously not caring that he'd just revealed something so personal. "I trust you know about them."

Yami nodded, now trying to catch a glimpse of the blonde up in foliage of the trees. "Beings that adapt themselves to their environments, and can wield some mastery of the elements therein." He paused. "How far has Jou gone?" He was referring to exposure to the various elements, letting a sprite become familiar with handling them.

Seto turned to him with a bored expression. "We've traveled quite a bit."

"That doesn't really mean anything."

Seto considered briefly, deciding that since Jou had gone far enough to reveal some things about the cleric, that he could safely explain a few things about the blonde. "Air, earth, water, and some light." A note of pride crept into his voice as he spoke.

Yami was surprised. "I didn't think light was possible, since there's no way to be saturated by it."

"It wasn't intentional." The answer was short, bringing up memories that Seto wasn't prepared to deal with.

"And what about fire?" Yami was interested in his main element, being a master over flame himself. If Jou, as a sprite, had some control over it, then they could possibly work together in the future. _At least, within the bounds of my oath of secrecy._

"Jou hasn't touched fire since I met him and won't go near it unless it's contained."

"Any idea why?"

"He's never said anything."

There was a rustle in the trees up ahead and Seto drew his mount to a stop. Yami pulled up beside him, shifting a hand to his bow. A moment of silence passed. Jou seemed to melt from the brush on the left right side of Yami. His mount simply blinked at the blonde before lowering her head to nibble at a few weeds.

Fixing his hair which had become rather tussled, Jou indicated the path ahead, which was obscured by a bend. "There's a dead body up in the woods a few yards off the road. And a good spot to stop for lunch."

Now that he knew the truth about Jou, Yami wondered what the blonde really looked like. "A dead body? That's not uncommon."

Jou nodded as he tied the leads of both horses to the branch of a maple tree. He waited for them to dismount before continuing, leading them to the spot. "Yeah, but what the body's of and how it's killed... That's what's interesting."

He pushed away a final frond and pointed to what looked like a small heap of lumpy metal. Yami approached slowly as Seto remained where he was, eyes slowly sliding out of focus.

The lumpy metal turned out to be a crudely shaped breastplate, worn and weathered from both hard use and bad material starting to corrode. Poking out from beneath it were a pair of spindly arms and legs, thin, wiry and smaller than that of any human. The creature's head was stuck under the metal's weight, positioned oddly from its neck.

"Broken neck, but no sign of any other wounds." Yami carefully detached the breastplate from its fastenings and placed it aside. His hunter's instincts kicked in and he scanned the area. Several branches of a number of bushes were snapped and trampled, along with the leaf litter underfoot. "There was some kind of struggle, though."

Jou appeared next to him, frowning down at the small dead form. "Do you know what that thing is?" Yami shook his head, having never seen one in the Autumn Forest. "A gremlin. Nasty little things will do anything to get their hands on something shiny." His frown deepened. "They don't usually venture this far south, though."

Behind them, Seto stirred, shaking frost from his hair. "She was hunting the same thing we are, but it got to her first." He turned and started threading his way back toward their horses. "Let's see this perfect lunch spot."

Jou brightened. "Food, yes!" He quickly followed after the cleric.

Yami waited until they were out of sight, still examining the body. He had yet to be told what exactly they were after, but gathered from the clean kill that it wasn't something to take lightly. He reached into an orange pouch on his yellow belt and sprinkled some black dust over the gremlin. A few murmured words and minutes later, nothing was left but a lump of ashes and a charred bumpy piece of armor. Yami straightened and walked after his two new companions.

--

Jou passed Yami a hunk of bread and some salted beef as he sat down. He had found a nice shady alcove just off the main road, proudly pointing out the fact that there was no better spot for lunch than right there to Seto, who had only grunted.

"So, say some last rites to our dead little friend?"

Yami finished swallowing and shook his head. "No, I burned the body."

Unintentionally, Jou cringed slightly. Seto looked up from his own meal and leveled a warning glare at the archer. "Burned it, huh?" Jou plastered on his usual smile and willed himself to relax. "Why?"

Setting aside his food, Yami straightened out his red tunic. "Have either of you heard of the Fire Child Guild?" When he was met with blank stares, he continued. "Snow Star Guild? Pond Leaf?"

"Oh, that one I have. There was an outpost..." Jous smiled sheepishly at the stare he got from Seto. "What, there was."

"Anyway... these guilds pay homage to nature. Some pay specific attention to elements, others are more for territory or balance. Either way, they're for higher learning and skills." He rifled through a pocket and pulled out a small brass pin of flame. "I used to belong to the Fire Child Guild in Autumn Forest. We believed in burning the dead to prevent the bodies from returning to life as puppets of those intending evil."

Seto scoffed quietly and Jou eyed Yami. He wasn't thrilled at hearing that their hired help was a practitioner of fire, but couldn't do much about it now. "That explains the clothes," he said, indicating the orange, red, and yellow color scheme that Yami was dressed in, head to foot.

Seto studied the pin that the archer was turning over in his hands. "You said used to."

"I was expelled for leading something using a dead body as a host back to our camp. It destroyed everything." Yami tucked the brass flame away again. "I still follow the rules, and I can still mold fire. But I'm sworn to never teach or show anyone those skills."

"So you're useless hired help." Seto wrapped up the uneaten food and tossed the packages to Jou, who began to store them in the horses' saddle bags. "It figures."

Yami stood. "Those tokens I showed you, didn't come from any special knowledge. I earned those with my bow and quiver full of arrows."

"Good." Seto swung up on his horse. "Because I didn't hire you to work magic."

Jou patted Yami on the shoulder in reassurance. "Believe me, we had quite a few mages and sorceress' apply. You're the one who fit Seto's high expectations."

Mounting his horse, the archer shook his head. He figured he'd never understand the pair. "So when are you going to tell me what we're after?" He nudged his horse to catch up with Seto, as Jou leapt up into the trees above.

ooo

Twill: There you have it. The Yami, Seto, Jou trio are moving a little more slowly than the other two groups, but this chapter gives you some more info. I'm sure everyone can guess what they're hunting, ne? And I hope that all the explanations made sense! They did to me, but I'm the author so they should. Anyway, next chapter should be Marik and Ryou unless something drives me to another group. Review and tell me what you think and would like to see next! Remember, there are many characters left to make appearances, in one fashion or another -winks-


End file.
